Means for sealing jars or similar vessels



(No Model.)

J. W. FULLER.

MEANS FOR SEALING JARS 0R SIMILAR VESSELS. No. 487,366. Patented Dec. 6, 1892.

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JAMES W. FULLER, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,366, dated December 6, 1892.

Application filed March 22, 1892.

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that-I, JAMES WILLIAM FULLER, of St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Sealing Jars and Similar Vessels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

This invention has forits object to provide a means for hermetically sealing the orifices or months of jars, cans, canisters, &c., which shall be cheap, easily and cheaply applied by the packer, and afford a closure which will preserve the contents of the vessel in any climate against injury through leakage at the seal, and. at the same time a closure which the consumer may easily and quickly open without a special apparatus for the removal of the contents and without injury to the vessel. The vessels are thus preserved and are valuable to the consumer, or may be returned to the packer without injury and again filled.

Broadly stated, the invention consists in closing and securing the cap or cover, fitting down around the mouth of the vessel with a seal at the lower edge, preferably of wax or its equivalent and adapting the said cap for being secured above the seal, and preferably below the edge of the vessels mouth, whereby when the vessel is opened a temporary closure is afforded adapted for removal at will. Further than this, the invention consists in certain novel details of construction, combinations, and arrangements of parts, all as will be now described, and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.-

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, and Fig. 8 show forms of the invention employing ascrew-cap with a recess for the sealing material formed therein. Figs. 6 and 7 show forms with a seat or recess for the sealing material in the neck of the vessel. Figs. 9 to 12 show forms with which solder may be conveniently used. Figs. 13 and 14 show a sealing ring and strip. Fig. 15 shows a form especially adapted for tin cans when the neck and cap may be secured Serial No. 425,888. (No model.)

at the same time. Figs. 16 and 17 show caps, which have been severed and removed.

Like letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.

The particular character of the vessel to which the present invention is applicable is not essential, and when the vessel is referred to it will be understood as meaning any jar, bottle, can, canister, or their equivalent adapted for the reception of any commodity, such as preserves, sirup, liquids of any kind, &c.

The vessel in every instance is provided with a mouth formed by a wall, either the upward extension of the vessel itself or a nozzle or collar applied thereto. Thus in the drawings the letter A indicates the mouth of the vessel, the wall being screw-threaded adja cent the edge, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 4 to 10, inclusive, and Figs. 15, 16, and 17, although such screw-threading is not essential and may be omitted as in the remaining figures, and a screw-thread formed at a lower point, or, for that matter, entirely omitted, as in Fig. 15, where the cap is held in place by the seal alone. At a point somewhat removed from the edge of the mouth and below the screw-thread first mentioned when used a score or circumferential groove B is formed in the neck,and below that I preferably form an annular seat or shoulder 0, upon which the sealing substance rests.

The cap I), made of soft metal, is of substantially the conformation of the mouth or neck of the vesselthat is to say, at the top it has threads D, 00- operating with the threads at the top of the neck, below which is a straight section having an indentation score or groove cl, preferably of less depth, but concentric with the groove 13 when the cap is in-place. Below the groove d the sealing substance unites the neck and cap, and, as shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, the lower edge of the cap is provided with or bent to form an annular chamber F for the sealing substance H. The edge of the cap is adapted to engage or co-operate with the vessel below the chamber F, either as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 12, 15, 16, and 17, where it seats against a shoulder G, or, as shown in the remaining figures, where it is screw-threaded ICO at M and co-operates with a thread on the vessel or its neck, so as to prevent the escape of the sealing substance, which is placed in position in a hard condition and melted or softened after the cap has been applied.

It is not essential that the chamber F be formed in the cap, for, if desired, it may be omitted or a similar chamberI may be formed in the neck of the bottle for the reception of the ring of the sealing substance, which latter may take the form of a strip, Figs. 13 and 14, when in its hard or semi-plastic condition adapted to be wrapped around in the chamber, as will be readily understood. When the chamber is omitted, there is usually a space left between the cap and vessel-neck for the accommodation of sufficient of the sealing material to accomplish the desired end. Thus in Figs. 9 to 12 the sealing material, be it wax or solder, finds a narrow space at some point below the indentations. This form is more efficient if the sealingsubstance be solder, as will be readily understood.

The operation of sealing and opening vessels in accordance with this invention is simple, and in the act of sealing a ring of sealing substance is applied to the neck of the jar, the cap placed in position, and the sealing substance melted, so as to unite the cap and jar-neck either by a heat from the exterior, or where the contents of the vessel is hot the heat imparted from it will melt the substance, if it be Wax. In opening the consumer passes a sharp instrument-such as a pocket-knife-around, following the score or indentation above the sealing substance, separating the top of the cap from the bottom and permitting of its removal. The part of the cap above the score or indentation forms a perfect temporary closure, and the vessel is thus capable of continued use.

Fig. 18 illustrates the application of the closure to a tin can, as before referred to. The can, it will be noticed, is formed with a means for the attachment of the collar, as a small flange N, and the collar and cap are fitted together before application to the can. Then the application of a hot iron around the bottom of the cap serves to fuse the sealing substance and unite the collar and can and simultaneously seals the cap to the collar around the lower edge.

In order to prevent the flowing or climbing of the sealing substance above the score or indentation, I prefer to leave a straight section of the cap and collar on each side of the score or indentation and. separate the two slightly more at this point, as will be readily understood.

The closingand sealing means are extremely simple and will at once recommend the invention to the manufacturer, packer, and consumer for the purposes of all for whom it possesses peculiar advantages.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In a closure for vessels, the combination, with the vessel, of the vessel-neck having an indentation or score therein, the cap covering the vessel and having an indentation or score registering with the score in the vessel-neck, and the chamber below said scores containing sealing material for uniting the cap and neck, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the vessel-neck having screw-threads at the top, of the cap fitting down over the neck and having co-opcrating screw-threads and a score or indentation below said threads and a sealing substance uniting the cap and neck below the score or indentation, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with the vessel-neck having screw-threads at top, of the cap fitting over the neck and having co-operating screwthreads, a score or indentation below said threads, and an annular chamber below the score or indentation,and a sealing substance in said chamber for uniting the cap and vessel-neck, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the vessel-neck having screw-threads at top, of the capfitting over the neck, seating on the neck at the bottom and having the intermediate screw-thread and indentation or score, and the sealing substance interposed between the cap and neck below the score and above the bottom edge of the cap, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the vessel having the screw-threaded neck, of the cap fitting over the same, having co operating screwthreads, and a score or indentation for severing the cap with a sealing substance uniting the cap and neck below the score or indentation, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES W. FULLER.

itnesses:

L. J. WITHEE, LOUIS FEESER, Jr. 

